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My journey to becoming a midwife started in January of 2010. I just started it… I knew there was no path for certification here on Oahu, but I started it anyways. I was fortunate enough to land (really sort of create) a position with the ladies of Sacred Healing Arts, where Dr. Lori Kimata and Dr. Madeleine Portuondo practice as midwives under their Naturopathic Physician’s license. My training was preparing me to be a direct entry midwife however, unless I were to leave the island to have a “proper” preceptor (recognized by MEAC and NARM), I could not become a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM). Good or bad, in the state of Hawaii, there is no regulation on home birth, or the people who attend these births, and therefore licensing as a CPM or a Licensed Midwife (LM) is unrecognized and unless a student was to leave the island…unobtainable. But, did that stop me? Absolutely not!!!

I continued to attend births as an apprentice and a doula. I held space for families and gave myself fully to the cause. I LOVE this work and the more I do it, the more I love it. It’s kind of like when you look at your child and wonder, “How could I possibly love you more?” And then you roll over the next morning to that sweet little sleeping face and BAM!!! You fall helplessly, more deeply in love. That sort of describes the feeling I get. And so, I continued on. Fast and slow births, easy or difficult pregnancies, miraculous recoveries, triumphant moments, transports, and moments of total surrender to the universe… My only direction was YES and I knew that something would open up for me. I would get an opportunity to certify…somehow.

And then it did! A wonderful woman by the name of Selena Green moved to Oahu in 2012. She is the founder of Sacred Birth Place, a free standing birth center in Oakland California. Here she helped families have rewarding pregnancy and birth experiences while giving apprentice midwives an opportunity to train and certify as a CPM. Recognizing the need for such a place on Oahu, she relocated and opened Hale Kealaula in Waianae.

Hale Kealaula has been open for over a year now. Selena works with some of Oahu’s finest and most passionate birth workers. I am honored and full of gratitude to be able to announce that I, too have teamed up with these ladies in order to pursue my desire to become a CPM. I am beyond thrilled to be able to share the adventure with this group of women. My path has been so clear and it is now more brightly lit. I am so thankful for all who have brought me here to this day, and for those in the future who will to allow me to assist, and learn, and be a part of the sacred circle of LIFE!!!

For those of you who know me already, I want to reassure you that I am continuing to work side by side with Dr. Kimata and Dr. Portuondo at Sacred Healing Arts. My doula work and assisting families in hospital births are still within my scope of practice! In addition, I am always happy to assist with my knowledge as a lactation counselor! Working with Selena and the women of Hale Kaelaula is another way I am able to better myself for the families I serve. I am balancing it all quite nicely and am in total awe of how well things are coming together…